Thompson (#14) was a beast! Her fast and explosive tempo sets were so fascinating to watch in action. She places the ball with the same exact speed and location every single time. No matter if she was just hustling across the court in a rally before or sprawling across the right back wing, as I said before, Thompson is a beast of a setter!!

Laine immediately caught my attention at the Expo with her impressive ability to connect with her hitters from anywhere on the court. As a lefty setter, she can make sneaky plays that catch the defense off guard. I was especially impressed with her defensive impact—both in setting up a big block and showcasing scrappy defensive skills. Thompson’s confidence and leadership mentality truly set her apart from other setters her age. I can’t wait to see the impact she makes for Illini Elite this club season!

Laine was such an impact player during scrimmage play. She fed her hitters like she had playing with them for years – even having some stud connections with the middle on her court. She was an absolute gamer and was clearly having a blast working her craft as a setter.